Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1887-08-18
THE MAoRUpER CASE.
A Sketch OF the Blacklist Deed In the
Criminal Annals of Idaho.

Hubert Howe Bancroft, 10 his Popular
Tribunals No. l, just published, gives
an elaborate and very interesting account
Of the case, from which we CLEAN q
synopsis for cur readers, which r,ay in
terest many who never heard the facts
OF this terrible murder.
Lloyd Magruder was popular trader
and packer, living at Lewiston, but doing
business also in Montana. 10 August
1863 Magruder dispatched large pack
train with merchandise to Virginia City,
M. I BY the first of October he had
fourteen thousand dollars 10 exchange for
his goods aud part Of his pack animals,
and was now ready to return to Lewis
ton. The gold proved temptation &c a
band Of Williams, who plotted his de-
struction. Chief among them was David
Howard, familiarly called noc. Howard,
an intelligent and educated man, brave
beyond question, and skilled in the
practice OF his profession, Christopher
Lowry stood next in evil eminence, being
as ready, as be expressed it, to Kill
man as to kill calf. Then there were
jas. +. Roman, an apt scholar OF CHRIS
Lowry; William p &c, timid but useful,
as bold and constituencies O crew as ever
cut throats or dashed out brains for
money. Doc Howard and his camrades
pretended concern 10 finding their. oc
cupation gone. They did not fancy
working in the mines, they said; pros.
poets for honorable employment were not
Aattering, and they would by no means
entertain any other; they believed they
could do better at their old stamping
ground, The Dalles.
Whereupon the artless packers said
to them: "Join us; you shall be vel
come; your journey shall cost you moth.
ing; you shall each have a fat mule to
ride, and your poorer one can be turned
out along with the stock your presence
will be additional protection" With
villainous gratitude the cut-,hroats &C.
cepted his preferred kindness. All being
in readiness the party set out from
Virginia City 10 high spirits the Bid
Of October. All went well until they
reached point in the Bitter Root
mountains one hundred and ninety miles
from any settlement, being west of the
divide and between the Clearwater and
Bitter Root rivers. Here was com.
mitted the foAl murder Of Mapruder
together with four othors, employees, and
their bodies were wrapped in blankets,
carried to the top of ridge and rolled
over a,precipice. The murderers built fires
over the blood bespo,ted ground, bu,
like the blood of murdered Abel, the
dsmuing evidence would not hush.
Burning the camp squippage, they drove
the animals, some forty in number,
little distance from the trail and shot all
but eight mules and one horse, With
these and the gold dust they arrived at
Lewiston on the night Of October 18th
and put up at the Hotel de France. AT
he stage office, kept by Hill B+achy,
hey engaged passage to Walla Walla,
their names as Smith, Brown.
Perkins and Clark. Certain circum-
tances aroused suspicion. After they
lad started the stage diver noticed that
hey carried considerabl, gold dust.
} 'ntinuing their journey to San Fran
'isco, wherever they stopped they as
umed new namts.
Meanwhile the people of Lewiston
Wonder where Maeruder is, and why he
Ices not make disappearance. From
he Beaver Head country nem arrived
aging that the packers party lett two ,
lays before them and should now BE-
here. Closely following the surmises I
ence arriving como tidiugs of the dead
odies Of two men known to be of the
lagruder party, and the air round Lew
'Ion becomes thick with suspicion
'oing round whore The animals they rod.
'ere stabbed, Hill Beachy recognized the !,
orse and one Of the mules a. the prop.
rty Of Masruder; likewise saddle and
antsen, the former with blood upon il. q
t knows to have been Mayruders
'urther investigation fixed the ideutit,
the four passengers. The stage agent
NV rememb' rs their presence and de.
arturo eastward about the time tina, a
lagruder went away. As it by iuspira. q
on the whole plot flashes upon him. v
With scarce y moments hesitation thu.